Monday 14th April 2014

Zanardi's Z4 GT3: Time For Tea?

Ahead of his first race this month, Alex Zanardi explains his latest racing car

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The Blancpain GT Sprint Series begins this month, taking the great racing seen in the Blancpain Endurance events and distilling them into shorter rounds. If our experience at Monza this weekend for the Endurance first round is anything to go by, the Sprint series will be fantastic.

Alex Zanardi's debut in GT racing will of course draw much attention when the field reaches Nogaro. In this video he explains how BMW has modified its Z4 GT3 for him. The throttle, clutch and gearchange are hand-controlled (just in case the clutch wasn't hard enough to master on a GT3 car already) but the brake is foot operated. Zanardi's prosthetic limb rests on the pedal with all the effort of course coming from his hip. It looks fiendishly difficult, with his hip permanently at a set angle. But this being Zanardi it's just another challenge to overcome in his latest racing challenge.

The test results from Paul Ricard had Zanardi's #33 Z4 a couple of seconds off the pace, with the Bentleys leading the way in fact. No doubt that gap will be closed as the season progresses. It should make for a fascinating watch.

See the video here.

[secretagentbloke]

Alex Zanardi really does make me feel so very inadequate in comparison. Great driver, such an inspiring human being with a frankly ridiculous amount of superhuman fortitude. Hope he gets on the podium a few times

[WokkaWokka]

What a top bloke.

[itiejim]

Great guy and a fantastic driver; very much there on his own merits.

[Patrick1964]

The word "hero" is overused in current society. Not when Zanardi is concerned though, in my opinion. He's a bloody God in my mind.

[Ollieb7]

My thoughts written already ^^^^^^^ A true inspiration

[Neith]

Brilliant driver (and paralympian!). It never ceases to amaze me how he recovered from that crash, his willpower must be incredible. Really is great seeing him back in motorsport again, as well as teams willing to accommodate an adapted car.

[Gixeh]

Amazing bloke....really inspirational!

Just proves that the body is only a vessel for the will/mind.

[Mike Brown]

Top man and he humbles me, hope he does well, mike

[IN51GHT]

Alex really is one of the nicest blokes I've had the privilege to work with, he's also a bloody inspiration.

[Vocal Minority]

By all accounts he is a very nice man. Top chap.

[bubney72]

Agreed, truly inspiring.

[Amizade]

If there was a god of Motorsport... or for that matter Sport... it would be Alex Zanardi.

[vinnybear]

respect

[marky1]

Legend

[leglessAlex]

I don't usually have 'heros' or anything like that, but for me Zanardi really is pure inspiration. He has the same amputation as me and he just shows whats possible. Also he has the same name, and thats cool too.

[MichaelS]

Yea, a true legend. Amazing commitment to speed and competition.